Gerry Anderson
Director
Torchy the Battery Boy (1960)
Season 1
A mechanical boy with a magical flashlight on his head has adventures on earth and in Topsy Turvy Land, which is located on a distant star.
Released Feb. 23, 1960
Episode 15 min
2+
Genres: Family, Fantasy, Science Fiction
Keywords: imdb.puppet
Production Companies: AP Films (APF), Associated British Picture Corporation
Network: ABC Weekend TV
Country: United Kingdom
Languages:
English
S1E1 - Pom-Pom and the Toys
After his poodle and the neighborhood kids' toys are blown into outer space on kites, Mr. Bumble-Drop builds a robotic boy and a rocket ship for the lad to retrieve the lost playthings and pooch from a distant star.
Feb. 23, 1960, midnight
S1E2 - Topsy Turvy Land
Torchy arrives in Topsy Turvy Land, where he learns the toys have sprung to life, and Pom-Pom, the poodle, can speak. He helps Flopsy the ragdoll by replacing some of her lost stuffing with the puppy's fur.
March 1, 1960, midnight
S1E3 - Torchy and Squish
Torchy meets Squish, an American space boy who's been stranded in Topsy Turvy Land. The boy decides to fly Torchy's rocket but promptly destroys it. Meanwhile, Pom-Pom bemoans the loss of her fur.
March 8, 1960, midnight
S1E4 - The Building of Frutown
Torchy and his friends decide to hollow out the large fruit that grows in Topsy Turvy Land to make homes for themselves.
March 15, 1960, midnight
S1E5 - Torchy and the Broken Rocket
While searching for cardboard to repair his rocket, Torchy meets Ting-a-Ling the bird, who tries to offer assistance.
March 22, 1960, midnight
S1E6 - King Dithers
Torchy meets the daffy King Dithers, who offers a tube of cardboard to repair the boy's rocket but promptly gets rolled up in it.
March 29, 1960, midnight
S1E7 - Torchy Returns to Earth
No one wants to return to Earth with Torchy, but when his battery dies, Pom-Pom comes to the rescue and brings the boy home to Mr. Bumble-Drop.
April 5, 1960, midnight
S1E8 - Bossy Boots Goes to Topsy Turvy Land
Mr. Bumble-Drop tricks Bossy Boots into flying to Topsy Turvy Land with Torchy, and she quickly becomes irritated, realizing that in this strange world, Flopsy the ragdoll has become her equal.
April 12, 1960, midnight
S1E9 - Bossy Boots Is Taught a Lesson
Torchy and the toys treat Bossy Boots as badly as she's treated them.
April 19, 1960, midnight
S1E10 - A Bell for a Penny Farthing
After a mishap, Pilliwig the Clown insists Torchy can't ride his bicycle again until he outfits it with a bell.
April 26, 1960, midnight
S1E11 - A Trick on Pom-Pom
Pom-Pom becomes absorbed with her own vanity, so the toys decide to teach her a lesson.
May 3, 1960, midnight
S1E12 - Torchy Is Stolen
Soon after arriving back on earth, Torchy's battery runs down. He's discovered by Mrs. Meanie-Mouth, who takes him home as a gift for her rotten son, Bogey.
May 10, 1960, midnight
S1E13 - King Dithers Loses His Crown
The hunt is on for King Dithers' crown, which is discovered in the possession of Pollikan, a strange bird with a penchant for shiny objects.
May 17, 1960, midnight
S1E14 - Pilliwig Gets A Present
Pilliwig the Clown is depressed because everyone's grown weary of his jokes, so Torchy introduces him to Ena, a giggling hyena who resides in Topsy Turvy Land.
May 24, 1960, midnight
S1E15 - Bad Boy Bogey
Torchy brings Bogey to Topsy Turvy Land to teach him to behave, but the brat brings along his toy pirate, Pongo, who steadfastly refuses to return to Earth.
May 31, 1960, midnight
S1E16 - Torchy and the Strange Animal
When Torchy learns that the other toys are terrified of a ferocious monster in the caves, he investigates and discovers Sparky, a mild-mannered, lonesome dragon.
June 7, 1960, midnight
S1E17 - Bossy Boots Forgets to be Good
When Torchy learns that Bossy Boots has reverted to her former ways, he lures her back to Topsy Turvy Land with the promise of a party in her honor, but instead, he forces her to feed Clinker, the money box she's been starving.
June 14, 1960, midnight
S1E18 - The Hungry Money Box
After discovering King Dithers does not need cash, Pongo the pirate decides to steal Clinker the money box's private reserve. Clinker complains of hunger, so Torchy uses his magic light and eventually finds a fruitful money tree.
June 21, 1960, midnight
S1E19 - The Naughty Twins
When Torchy returns home to visit Mr. Bumble-Drop, his battery dies, so terrible twins Bobby and Babs take him home and lock him in a chicken pen. To get even, Mr. Bumble-Drop lures them into Torchy's rocket with a bag of candy.
June 28, 1960, midnight
S1E20 - The Twins Learn a Lesson
Torchy instructs King Dithers to lock Bobby and Babs in the dungeon, but when his highness proves to be unfit for the simple task, it's up to Pollikan to dole out punishment.
July 5, 1960, midnight
S1E21 - King Dithers Goes Down to Earth
Torchy gets stranded on Earth, so King Dithers agrees to retrieve him, but he takes a wrong turn and faces the man on the moon, who's decided to go on strike.
July 12, 1960, midnight
S1E22 - Torchy Is Saved at Last
King Dithers and Polliken bid farewell to the Man on the Moon by fitting him with sunglasses so he can sleep through the day. Meanwhile, Mr. Bumbledrop and Torchy plan to reward Bossy Boots for her exemplary behavior by bringing the girl along to Topsy Turvy Land. Unfortunately, they learn that she's been in bed for a week, playing sick to keep from going to school.
July 19, 1960, midnight
S1E23 - Torchy and the Man on the Moon
Torchy decides to stop on the moon for cheese when he takes Mr. Bumbledrop home.
July 26, 1960, midnight
S1E24 - Bogey and the Statues
Torchy visits Mrs. Meaniemouth to get medicine for Mr. Bumbledrop. Her son, Bogey, takes Torchy captive and forces him to watch as he destroys the park statues.
Aug. 2, 1960, midnight
S1E25 - The Moon Falls Asleep
When darkness envelops Topsy Turvy Land, Torchy and Flopsy discover the man on the moon has overslept.
Aug. 9, 1960, midnight
S1E26 - Torchy's Birthday
Torchy feels left out as all of the toys secretively make plans for his birthday.
Aug. 16, 1960, midnight
Network: ABC Weekend TV
Episode Runtime: 15 min.
Season Runtime: 15 min.
Released: Feb. 23, 1960
Last Air Date: Feb. 14, 1961, midnight
Status: Ended
Certification: NR / 2+
Rate this show
Add {Movie} to static lists